Washington Wants To Charge Hackers Like Mobsters

Script kiddies and hacker organizations are more annoying than freakin’ cock-uh-roaches, but Washington’s trying to stomp on the buggers before the problem gets out of control. The Obama administration’s looking to up the penalties already on the books as part of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, and they're seeking the ability to hit hackers even harder. Washington wants to make CFAA crimes applicable to the RICO law used to toss mobsters like Whitey Bulger and members of the Gambino crime family in jail.

“Secret Service investigations have shown that complex and sophisticated electronic crimes are rarely perpetrated by a lone individual," Secret Service Deputy Special Agent in Charge Pablo Martinez told the Senate Judiciary committee on Wednesday, The Hill reports. "Online criminals organize in networks, often with defined roles for participants, in order to manage and perpetuate ongoing criminal enterprises dedicated to stealing commercial data and selling it for profit.”

That there’s mighty mob-like behavior, which is part of the reason why some folks in Washington are calling for the change. Anybody who commits at least two of the offenses applicable under the RICO laws within a ten year period can then be charged with racketeering, and hackers often commit more than one offense in a single breach.